


Breathing Is For The Weak

by barricadebastard



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Flirting, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Somewhat, alex faints, but john and alex are, but that's not really mentioned so whatever, herc is agender, laf is the token Cis, so laf mistakes this as them being a trans man, they are not a trans man, theyre afab (assigned female at birth) but clearly work hard to mask any femininity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 12:31:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11532282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barricadebastard/pseuds/barricadebastard
Summary: Prompts: "Look at me - just breathe, okay?" and "You fainted straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention, you didn’t have to go to such extremes."No one is surprised when Alex almost faints from exhaustion and overworking himself. At least he meets a cute guy for his datemates to flirt with.





	Breathing Is For The Weak

**Author's Note:**

> this is your friendly reminder that many polynesian people have requested that polyamorous people don't use the word 'poly' since it. ya know. belongs to them. alternative is currently polyam
> 
> also, the science and biology behind this is awful. leave me alone, the prompt required fainting and idk shit about it

Alex was busy. He had a million things he hadn’t done, and he needed them done quicker than was physically possible. He hadn’t slept properly in days, surviving purely through power naps and disturbing quantities of coffee. It wasn’t an issue. As soon as he give in the last assignment and finished planning the latest event for the charity he was working at, he’d get some sleep. _Centuries_ worth of sleep. But until then, he had to keep working. Time stopped for no one, and if time wasn’t going to stop, neither was Alex.

Well, that was what he had planned. His body had other ideas.

“Mon dieu, are you okay?” an unfamiliar voice was asking. It had a French accent. It sounded rather nice.

“Huh?” Alex asked stupidly.

“I said, are you okay?” the voice repeated. As it did so, a face swam into view, strong and handsome. Had a beard too. Niiiiiiiice.

“‘M fine,” Alex mumbled, trying to sit up. It was only then that he noticed he was actually in  the arms of this handsome stranger. He also had really nice arms to match his nice beard. Muscular. A little bit like Hercules’. Oooh, Hercules’ arms were _nice_ too. “I just need to-”

“I don’t think getting up is a good idea,” the stranger rushed to say, gently pushing him back down. “You fell because you got up too fast. Maybe you should… relax, a little? Look at me - just breathe, okay?”

“Breathing is for the weak,” Alex said, hoping his words didn’t slur. God, he was so exhausted… His eyes were burning from being open for too long, and the stranger’s body was warm… Surely no one would mind if he just closed his eyes for a little…

“Is there anyone I can call?”

“My boyfriend and my datemate,” Alex murmured. He could already feel the tempting siren’s call of sleep beginning to lull him under, and he let his head drop against the stranger’s chest. He deserved _this,_ at the very least, right? He smiled dopily at the thought of Hercules and John. “They’re so handsome. They’re so good-looking. I love them soooooooo much-”

“That’s lovely to hear,” the stranger interrupted - was Alex detecting hints of amusement in his voice? Alex was going to fight him. No stranger was allowed to laugh at his signifs, no matter how attractive their beard and arms were. “Can I get a number I could call or…?”

“It's in my phone,” Alex said, shifting around to pat his pockets. When he found his phone, he clicked John's contact.

“Hey, babe! Don't worry, it's nothing serious but… uh, I kinda fainted?”

“...Oh my god.”

“But it's all good, I'm feeling fine now, I just thought it would be a good idea to let you know-”

“Are you serious?” John asked incredulously. “Where are you? I'm coming to get you. You need to _sleep,_ Alex, your body can't live like this!”

“I'm fiiiiiiine, I swear!” Alex protested, but then the stranger was plucking his phone out of his hand and speaking to John instead. Alex took the opportunity to slump against the stranger's chest again, content to listen to the rumbles rippling through his body every time he spoke.  

“Your boyfriend says he will be here in five minutes,” the man said as he hung up. “Perhaps you should try drinking one water?”

“What's your name?” Alex asked, ignoring the water question. He _hated_ water. It was so bland and ugly and gross.

“Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette,” the man replied smoothly, his accent appearing tenfold. When Alex merely blinked, he amended it to, “Lafayette.”

“Pretty name,” Alex murmured, letting his eyes flutter shut. “I'm gonna… I think I'm just gonna go to sleep, m’kay?”

There was a lot of shuffling, the murmur of voices and far too much movement, but Alex only vaguely registered these. It had been too long since his last power nap, and his eyes seemed to be closing in rebellion to all the ways he had mistreated his body. Which… fair enough.

When he opened his eyes again, John stood in front of him, struggling to open a water bottle. He looked rather beautiful. When he was done wrestling with the bottle, Alex was going to give him a kiss. He made a mental note of this so as he wouldn't forget, before focusing on the rest of the situation. He was no longer in Lafayette's arms, but sitting in someone's lap as they wrapped their arms around his waist. Which meant he was sitting in Hercules' lap - he'd recognise those strong dark arms from anywhere.

“Heyyy, baby,” Alex murmured to Hercules, tilting slightly to burrow his face in the crook of his datemate’s neck. He could feel Hercules' pulse, beating in a comforting rhythm.

“Hey, Alex,” Hercules replied, their voice coloured with amusement. “You promised you wouldn't wear yourself down so much, didn't you?”

“Yeah,” Alex replied sheepishly. “Sorry. This really handsome dude caught me though. Did you see his arms?”

“Yeah. You know that really handsome dude can still hear you, right?” Hercules pointed out, sounding as though they were struggling to stifle a laugh. John had no such qualms, snorting loudly to himself.

Alex's cheeks flushed a little, but he brushed it off. “It's okay, he must know he's attractive. Right, Lafayette?”

“You're not leaving me much room to be modest,” Lafayette joked.

“Alex, stop flirting and drink some water,” John interrupted, finally succeeding in his struggle against the water bottle. “We don't want you fainting into another handsome stranger's arms.”

Alex pouted but accepted the water, gulping it down greedily. For all his loathing of water, he was awfully thirsty. The dryness of his mouth was a much more unpleasant taste than water anyway.

“I'm starting to think maybe it was all a plan to catch his attention,” Hercules said slyly and… Oh. That was their flirting voice. Was Hercules flirting with Lafayette? That made sense, Lafayette was definitely Hercules' type. That was _great._ Alex knew he wasn't the smoothest of people whilst sleep-deprived, but at least he and Hercules could get excited about Lafayette later and maybe stalk his instagram together.

“You fainted straight into my arms **,”** Lafayette pointed out dryly. His lips were quirked into a charming smirk. “You know, if you wanted my attention, you didn’t have to go to such extremes, mon ami.”

“Huh,” Alex said thoughtfully. “'Mon ami’?”

“It means-”

“Yeah yeah I know what it means, I can speak French,” Alex interrupted. “Are you friendzoning me? Because I'll back off, if you're uncomfortable.”

John looked extremely awkward, staring down at the bottle as though it was the most fascinating thing on earth. Even Herc was shifting uncomfortably. Ah. Perhaps asking someone to be explicit in their rejection was… a little awkward. Oh well, it was too late now, and Lafayette didn't look nearly as uncomfortable as Alex had expected.

“It's just a habit,” he revoked smoothly. “In the presence of three handsome men, you cannot blame me slipping up with my wording occasionally.”

“Two handsome men,” Hercules corrected quickly. Alex twisted to look at them - Hercules rarely corrected someone on their pronouns so soon after meeting them. Indeed, they looked nervous, carefully scanning Lafayette's face for any sign of disgust. “I'm agender. So. Yeah.”

“My apologies,” Lafayette replied immediately. His smile was soft and welcoming, and Alex felt Hercules sag slightly with relief. “The presence of three handsome people. Or would you prefer not to be referred to as handsome?"

Hercules shook their head. “No, I'm… I'm okay with most gendered compliments except pretty.”

Lafayette nodded, still smiling. “Three handsome people it is.”

“Perhaps,” John said, finally addressing Lafayette (well, for the first time since Alex had woken up, at least). He seemed hesitant, gaze flickering between Lafayette and the ground. “Perhaps you could get used to our..  ah, _'handsome presence’_ with a date?”

Lafayette’s grin widened into something wicked that made Alex grip Hercules’ thigh because _Jesus Christ_ that man was attractive. Hercules seemed to understand his struggle, putting their hand over Alex's own and patting it sympathetically. “That sounds lovely. Although perhaps Alex would benefit from some sleep first.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” John snorted. “Come on, darlin’, you can't stay in Hercules' lap forever.”

This, of course, only made Alex more determined to do so. He planted his feet firmly on the ground and pressed down his weight as much as possible, but it was futile - Hercules picked him up easily as though he weighed nothing, laughing all the while. Alex squirming in their grip, mock-pouting.

“Keep fidgeting and I'll just dump you with Lafayette,” Hercules warned. Alex snorted.

“Is that supposed to be a bad thing? Have you seen his arms?!”

“Yes, darlin’, we know you love his arms, please stop before you end up building a shrine towards them.”

“...That's not a completely awful idea.”

“Perhaps wait after our first date? Or at least until you're not sleep-deprived.”

“Oh, Laf, I liked you so much as well. Why did you have to go and ruin it by being sensible? Totally a turn off.”

“Alright, Alex, let's get you in a bed.”

“You three will be joining me, I hope?”

“No, Alex.”

**Author's Note:**

> alex has a thing for arms 
> 
> IVE OFFICIALLY POSTED EVERY DAY FOR TEN DAYS 
> 
> send me more prompts from [this list](http://hhhercules-mulligan.tumblr.com/post/162544629568/writing-prompts) or your own! my tumblr is [hhhercules-mulligan](http://www.hhhercules-mulligan.tumblr.com)


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